Innholdsfortegnelse for October 10, 2016 i India Today

Elections in Uttar Pradesh have always demanded national attention. The most populous state in the country sends 80 MPs, or 15 per cent of all legislators, to the lower house of Parliament—the highest of all states. It has given India eight of its 14 prime ministers. It has been the political home to India’s first family, the Nehru-Gandhi clan. It also has India’s largest population of Dalits, who have come to replace minorities as the swing factor in India’s new electoral dynamics. Yet the significance of Uttar Pradesh is not limited to its size, its intimidating numbers, or its political legacy. It occupies a central position by virtue of its ability to define, regulate and change the political landscape of the country. The failure of the country’s two national parties—the…

The Constitution had abolished titles. They reappeared after 1950, were abolished again from 1977-80, and made another comeback in 1980. The Napoleonic Mrs Gandhi just had to have a way of rewarding her favourites. But it could only be a title-that-was-not—a bit like Voldemort of the Harry Potter series, the-one-who-must-not-be-named— because the Supreme Court had barred the use of titles as a ‘suffix’ or ‘prefix’. In the Constituent Assembly of 1946, K.T. Shah had wanted a complete abolition of titles, which was naturally opposed by Sir Alladi (Krishnaswamy Iyer). Sir Alladi had the support of Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari) while K.M. Panikkar chipped in with compromise solutions. Sardar Patel felt titles “were abused for corrupting the public life of the country”, but did not want to nullify past honorific titles given…

SEPTEMBER 15. 2.17 PM. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has just completed a three-hourlong roadshow in an open mini-bus, snaking around the crowded streets of Allahabad, braving the scorching heat and occasional cloudbursts and delivering impromptu speeches. A vanity van is waiting which will take him to Kaushambi, 50 km away, where he will address a khat sabha of farmers, part of his nearly month-long Kisan Yatra, which started from Deoria on September 6 and will culminate in Delhi on October 2. The 2,500-kmlong yatra will touch 39 districts, 55 Lok Sabha constituencies and 223 assembly constituencies. Once inside the van, a sweating Rahul asks an aide to arrange a new kurta for him. “I’ll go out for the meeting even if it rains but I don’t have a spare kurta.…

A sense of déjà vu. It’s like a brawl between schoolchildren, except that the players are policymakers. Bang in the middle of this brawl, the Kashmir uprising continues, only to be quelled by lethal pellets that have blinded teenagers. Many Indians too are critical of it. It all started with the unfortunate Uri attack that left 18 Indian soldiers dead. The latest from the Indian prime minister is, “Blood and water cannot flow together”. This was followed by news of India’s decision to review the Indus Basin Water Treaty of 1960 and discussions on limiting trade. In Pakistan too, there are calls to ban Indian planes from Pakistani airspace and to further limit the passage of Indian trade goods via Pakistan. The prime minister of Pakistan has opted to stay…

Jeremy Corbyn has been reelected as Leader of the Labour party, with 61 per cent support of 600,000-plus members. He was the unlikely winner of the leadership election (mandatory after each general election) last year. He did not win over a majority of the MPs, but he did win among trade union members and ordinary members by a large majority. That led to a challenge from another MP— then, for a second time, Jeremy Corbyn won. Labour MPs still do not support Corbyn by a majority. The struggle will continue. The contrast with the Congress is striking. Here are two parties, more than a century old—coming out of the same tradition of social democracy—which have ruled their nations but are now stuck in opposition. The Congress does not conduct contested…

FASTEST TO 200 WICKETS Of the many congratulatory messages sent to Ravichandran Ashwin after he took his 200th Test wicket, on September 25 against New Zealand in Kanpur, was this tweet by former Test captain and one of India’s greatest spin bowlers Bishan Singh Bedi: “Two hundred Test wkts in 37 is awesome @ashwinravi99— Weldone Son..keep up the good work..@ this rate U cn get to 300 end of season! Go fr it!” It may have been written in SMSese, but Bedi, known to be stingy with his compliments, particularly to fellow spinners, was not being facetious. With 12 more Tests to be played at home this season, and with pitc hes expected to be doctored to suit India, Ashwin could well reach that figure at the rate he’s going.…

 Siddharth Chowdhury tells a story in interviews about the time he attended the small, carefully curated literature festival in Chandigarh—the only festival, he says, he has attended—and two women came up to him and told him they had travelled from Canada just to meet him. It turned out they thought he was Siddharth Choudhary the artist. For a man who has written four novels, one or two of them rapturously reviewed, Chowdhury, as his self-effacing anecdote suggests, is not particularly well known. His books have mostly gone out of print and his reputation, to the extent that he has one, is, as he has himself noted, of being “that strange pariah of the literary world: the writer’s writer”. This last observation is made in the acknowledgements to Ritwik & Hriday…

VIT UNIVERSITY, VELLORE, PUBLISHES BOOK Students of VIT University, Vellore, have published a coffee table book, Airflow, Comfort and Habitability of Game Reserves, which focuses on incorporation of latest technology in conservation of wildlife. Written by a 22-year-old VIT student Dhruv Gandharan Arvind and photographs by alumnus Siddharth Mukherjee, the book looks at challenges facing the habitats of natural reserves for big cats. With information from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu and Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, Africa, the book deals with “the sensitive interface between man and animal”. IIT KHARAGPUR’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARENESS DRIVE The Entrepreneurship Cell at IIT Kharagpur has started its flagship Entrepreneurship Awareness Drive, which will be held across 23 cities over a fortnight, starting first week of October. Through a series of guest…

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (MDI), GURGAON  With only a few months left for the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam, it is time for MBA aspirants to advance their preparation levels and chalk out a strategic plan. As the entrance exam got restructured in 2015, students need to carefully allocate their time for every session. The new pattern is a candidate-friendly format with an extended time limit, where students need to answer three sections—quantitative aptitude (QA), data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR) and verbal and reading comprehension (VRC) in 180 minutes. Know how to ace the CAT exam. The right study material It is advisable to ask student-achievers who have cracked the exam or to take help from professors to get hold of the right books. Look for…

CATapp Developed by Information Works, a technology start-up, this app provides specially curated content from publishers across the country. It brings 16 original CAT papers along with questions for other MBA tests from different coaching institutes. Its ‘featured papers’ section gives aspirants some of the best question papers that are hand-picked by the editors. The app also allows students to track their progress with a ‘‘progress report’ section. The current user base is more than 7,000 active users. The CATapp store allows publishers to distribute their quizzes on a mobile device. Rating 4.2/5 Platform Android, iOS Type Free TCY Exam Prep The app lets students to challenge and compete with their friends and fellow aspirants to hone their skills better. It also helps in preparing for the exam with 10…

Weddings are a time for cultures to showcase how steeped in tradition they are, yet how they have embraced the finesse of the wider world. For decades, Indian weddings were about gold, richness, familial bonhomie, red Benarasi saris, a smear of sindoor and evocative images of the sacred fire. Yet today, they have changed tack, drawing on global trends and becoming nuanced and elegant. Our wedding issue charts these changes as we travel to the state that resonates with luxury weddings. Rajasthan is a many splendoured thing but given its royal legacy, its brush with foreign celebrities, its heritage palaces and forts that today double up as the finest resorts, and the intricate, motif-laden jewellery and heavyweight food menus, it is as though it was made to host the big…

Heirlooms don’t always carry the weight of tradition or the mark of patina. Sometimes, it’s the twin promises of beauty and rarity that have the power to create modern heirlooms. It is precisely this promise and mandate with which Forevermark has launched the ZanyahTM collection, in collaboration, with couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee. True to his inimitable style of fine craftsmanship and rich embellishments, Mukherjee’s collection comprises of a range of delicate enamelled dangling earrings and vintage-style rings for men and women in yellow, pink and white gold, crafted with Forevermark diamonds. Inspired by the fashion and art of the roaring 20s, the drop earrings with Forevermark diamonds in marquise and round cuts also feature blue, black and green enamelling technique to represent the colour, romance and passion of the era. The…

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 Eight out of 10 Indians suffer from Vitamin D deficiency and bone degeneration “Your cover story gives credence to the adage that many of life’s precious things are free. It is a pity that ‘intelligent’ people are wilfully alienating themselves from the sun’s (free) therapeutic radiation” AVINASH GODBOLEY, Dewas Ain’t No Sunshine When D’s Gone Despite being a pandemic of sorts, Vitamin D deficiency remains one of the most underdiagnosed medical conditions (D Scourge). Skin exposure alone is sufficient to absorb the effects of UVB rays, but with 80 per cent of the body covered and frantic use of sunscr een, the sun is kept at bay. For vegetarians, diet is another factor. Vitamin D deficiency, therefore, is a subclinical ailment in both urban and rural areas.…

WISHFUL THINKING? China and Pakistan had very different accounts of the September 21 meeting between their prime ministers at the UN. Islamabad claimed Li Keqiang had endorsed Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, which would have marked a significant change. Beijing, however, made no mention of the K-word, and later clarified that there was no change in its ‘consistent’ stance that the issue was for India and Pakistan to resolve between them. SECULAR PIT STOPS Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Deoria-Delhi Kisan Yatra has covered over 2,000 km so far but the Congress V-P is still going the extra mile to dispel any notions of attempting the ‘soft Hindutva’ card played by his father Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s. In Lucknow, for instance, he sought blessings at a temple, mosque and a gurudwara. The…

Wait and Watch Bhumi Pednekar’s dream debut in Dum Laga Ke Haisha didn’t result in a flood of offers. With her next, Manmarziyan, in limbo, the actress is looking forward to Toilet... Ek Prem Katha with Akshay Kumar. Hopefully, this one won’t go down the drain. COMEBACK KID Darsheel Safary, the child star of Taare Zameen Par, still has his acting chops. He is making a comeback with his first professional theatre appearance in Can I Help You? . The 19-year-old returns to the performing arts after almost a decade. ALIA’S CHOICE Alia Bhatt is ready to move on. We aren’t talking about the split with alleged boyfriend Sidharth Malhotra. The youngest Bhatt is planning to move out of her parents’ house into her own apartment with elder sister Shaheen.…

Ashton & Price College Scholarship Ashton & Price, a personal injury law firm in Northern California, US, is offering a $1,000 scholarship to aspiring undergraduate and postgraduate law students. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be enrolled in an American post-secondary educational institution and must submit an essay. The deadline for the application is January 31, 2017. Check ashtonandprice.com for details Essay Writing Contest UK Writings, a UK-based essay writing agency, has launched a writing contest with cash rewards worth £8,000 for students with exceptional talent in essay writing. To be eligible for the prize money, students need to submit an essay on one of the topics mentioned on the website by May 31, 2017. The essays will be judged by PhD writers and editors and prize winners…

COURSE DIRECTOR, CAT EXAM, TRIUMPHANT INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (T.I.M.E.), HYDERABAD  CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam in the country with around two lakh students trying to crack it every year. The IIMs and about 150 other B-schools use the CAT score for their admissions. In addition to CAT, there are several other management entrance tests (OMETs) that are conducted to select students into MBA courses. With so many tests lined up, it is only natural for aspirants to feel that they are taking on something very huge. I have enlisted tips that will help aspirants keep their mind clear. Do not prepare for select topics only One of the biggest mistakes students make is to narrow down the syllabus and prepare only for select topics. CAT…

 The trajectory of comedian Vir Das’s schooling is at odds with the perspective of new generation educationists who debunk the need for institutionalised education. Formal education and opting for science at the higher secondary level seem to have, in fact, bestowed him with the discipline to pursue his calling. Before the proliferation of stand-up comedians, Vir Das, 37, was the poster boy of humour unplugged. The actor will soon have a Netflix original comedy special as “an authentic, Indian voice on the world circuit.”  To be or not to be His interest in theatre lay latent through his years at Indian Language School in Lagos, Nigeria, and The Lawrence School, with the occasional appearance in a school play. At Knox College, Illinois, US, he opted for economics and theatre with…

Nasreen Mohamedi’s Untitled (1960) Saffronart’s evening sale of modern Indian art, which took place on September 8, 2016 concluded with multiple auction records being set for Akbar Padamsee’s Greek Landscape, setting a new world record price for the artist. The 4.3 x 12 foot canvas, estimated between ₹7 – 9 crore was sold for ₹19.19 crore. The winning bid surpassed the previous world record of US$ 1.4 million, set by Sotheby’s in 2011 for Reclining Nude, 1960. Nasreen Mohamedi’s 1960 Untitled oil on canvas sold for a world record price of ₹2.4 crore. Gaganendranath Tagore’s Ruben’s Sketch Book sold for ₹1.8 crore setting a world auction record for the artist. The auction achieved a total sale value of ₹68.55 crore. Among the top lots were V S Gaitonde’s Untitled oil…

He is a fireball of energy as he paces up and down his new office in Delhi’s ShahpurJat area, multitasking. As he readies for the photo shoot, he balances a cup of coffee that sports his Second Floor Studio logo and rattles off instructions to his young, energetic team literally waiting on him hand and foot. Clearly here is someone who doesn’t suffer fools easily and is impatient about getting every last detail right. Pronto. The office has the look and feel of a New York loft that’s overflowing with carefully crafted bric-a-brac, showcasing the body of work that defines Punit Jasuja, a 42-year-old creative entrepreneur. There are bottles of his signature perfumes, dull gold candelabras, towering candles, expensive-looking cushions and fur throws, even table linen, sample platters, willowy chandeliers…

Executive Director, HRH Group of Hotels From abandoned ruins, today Jagmandir Island Palace in Udaipur shines in all its royal splendour as one of the most exclusive wedding destinations in the world. The credit for this goes to Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, son of Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, who’s not only slowly transforming the physical landscape of Udaipur but also the wedding foodscape of the region, to make it one of the most sought-after places for the rich to get hitched. So while you may find traditional bati-churma, papad ki sabzi and laal maas on the menu, don’t be surprised if you come across a live barbecue station that boasts of rare meats grilled to perfection the Aussie way. THE BEGINNING For centuries, food in Rajasthan has been determined by one’s…

There are many shades of orange that define the ambience of the restaurant, given that the central theme is duck, but traces of its predecessor, Blue Ginger, still linger. The Spicy Duck, which launched at the Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi earlier this month is an interesting space. With a new MD with a novel vision at its helm, the Taj Group has been making small, noteworthy changes across its properties, and the launch of Spicy Duck signals its desire to serve its patrons food that is contemporary and beautiful in every way. In China, duck signifies freedom, happiness and fidelity. The name Spicy Duck captures the contemporary yet traditional nature of the cuisine that is being served here. The bird is also very versatile—it can be roasted, stewed, braised…

1 RESTAURANTREVIEW/ Whistling Duck Spreading wings Whistling Duck, which completes three years in Chandigarh and has been instrumental in bringing some of the finest cuisines and events to Chandigarh including the CHD Jazz Fest and Indie Fest, will now witness a new cuisine that draws inspiration from grandma’s kitchen, juggling ingredients and cooking styles expertly to produce a signature menu. The place boasts of its multi specialty cuisine with its unorthodox menu, unusual flavour combinations and a relaxed décor. With so much at its side, the restaurant also boasts of the first restaurant brand, which is home born and now ready to open its branches in Delhi and Mumbai in the coming year. Ambar Mehrotra, owner of Whistling Duck, shares, “We’ve enjoyed phenomenal response in Chandigarh and have had guests…

Cracks in the Citadel He cannot admit it in public, nor can he deny it in private, but four months after installing his 38-year-old son Akhilesh Yadav as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav knows he has made a mistake. He should have held the reins instead, with Akhilesh as his deputy. “There is something lacking. I had given six months for the desired results...Four months have passed. The message that should have reached the masses is still missing,” he said. Under his son, governance has gone into a tailspin. The worst aspect of the ensuing chaos is the dreaded return of communal riots. Muslims of Uttar Pradesh, who returned the Yadavs to power, are deeply disillusioned. This is the fastest rejection rate ever in this state’s electoral…

IN UTTAR PRADESH’S CAPITAL, with the 2017 Assembly elections a few months away, the tapestry is being hung up in preparation for democracy’s next dance. Outside the airport, the pillars of the Lucknow Metro are being spruced up for its trial run to Charbagh railway station. The ring road—named Shaheed Path in honour of India’s martyrs from the independence movement—offers a new skyline for the drive into the city, with thousands of apartments sprouting from freshly landscaped colonies. Signposts are being painted to guide people to IT City, being built in Chak Ganjaria, as well as to the international cricket stadium, coming up at Ekana Sportz City. The Gomti river, the city’s life-blood, is getting a new waterfront too. Lest one forgets who to thank, these development projects are being…

I n 1990, a Pakistan army brigadier listed three reasons for his country’s enduring conflict with India: hatred, Kashmir and water. The hatred was visceral, he noted in his thesis at the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies in London. The second and third reasons were linked. Pakistan, he reasoned, needed to control Jammu and Kashmir not just for territory but because of the country’s water that flowed through it. The officer was General Pervez Musharraf. In December 2001, within a week of a sensational attack on Parliament carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee considered options to make Pakistan pay for its perfidy. The Indian army was mobilised along the border and one of the other punitive measures studied was the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 (IWT).…

It took almost a year of frantic meetings, many flare-ups and climb-downs and Machiavellian manipulation to nail the GST. Acutely aware that a successful GST launch would tell the world that India meant business, the BJP’s negotiator-inchief, Arun Jaitley, devised a four-pronged strategy. The first step was to garner public support from trade organisations and the media—to create a body of favourable opinion that was pro-reform, pro-GST. Second was to get down to the coarse details of pushing through the legislation. The government needed 164 votes in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP, along with allies and seven nominated members, added up to 81 lawmakers. Non-UPA and non-NDA parties had between them 91 votes, and the UPA had 68. This is where political allegiances, personal rapports and the interests of ‘consuming’…

An MBA, or a master of business administration, is the ultimate career choice in this global market, where there is a rising demand for trained management professionals. With the market scenario constantly changing and specialisations becoming an accepted practice in every domain, the field of MBA has also widened and a number of new courses have been added to its list. From healthcare management to entrepreneurship and from corporate social responsibility to strategic planning, the scope of these specialisations is unique both on the work front and in career progression. So, if you are sure of where your skills lie and are confident of your professional goals, then a custom-made MBA is the way forward for you. But choosing a specialisation can be a daunting task. How do you decide…

Steve Jobs At his 2005 Stanford University commencement speech, now titled, How to Live Before You Die, the Apple co-founder speaks about something that people everywhere can relate to—following one’s heart, seeing opportunities in life’s setbacks and having faith. In what is considered to be one of the most inspirational talks for students, Jobs reflects upon the fact that his most profound success came from his biggest failures. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking back,” he says. http://bit.ly/1gOdsfG Sheryl Sandberg The first woman to serve on Facebook’s board, who has the mammoth task of monetising the world’s largest social network while keeping users satisfied, speaks about her experience of being one among the very few women at the top and advises people on…

GROUP DIRECTOR, WELINGKAR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH, MUMBAI Mentoring involves hand-holding young professionals into a relatively newer landscape. An expert, noted not only for his brilliance but also for his métier of taking freshers under his wings, the mentor has come miles ahead from where the mentee stands at present. He knows the road better and the pitfalls too. A few reasons that make mentoring an integral part of modern businesses. 1 Mentors bring along a world of experience Those who have already arrived need to lend a hand to budding talent that is yet to prove its mettle. There are two ways of learning; either by going through it or learning from the experience of those who have been through it. Mentoring goes with the latter. A…

1 FENDI RAIN HAT The simplest pieces are the edgiest. Fendi’s Made in Italy fisherman hat crafted from brown nubuck and entirely lined in sheepskin proves this right. The casual comfort and texture is perfect for a day out. Price On Request Buy from www.fendi.com 2 JUNYA WATANABE PATCHWORK SHIRT Menswear gets a touch of art as artist Junya Watanabe embellishes this lightweight cotton lawn shirt with a wild interplay of pattern thanks to a handmade patchwork design. This white cotton patchwork button down shirt is from Comme Des Garçons’ basic collection. Price $842 Buy from bloomingdales.com 3 LOEWE BLUE GALAXY LEATHER POUCH Jonathan Anderson blends Loewe’s iconic leatherwork with a futuristic theme and attention to detail. This cream pouch is crafted from cross-hatch leather with a strong, textured feel,…

Of all the wedding wows, none captures desire more provocatively or portrays passion more consummately than jewellery. The dazzling dance of metal and stone has evolved through legend and lore to move beyond price and investment to craftsmanship and exclusivity. The new bridal aesthetic wears its vanity not lightly but tastefully. Where less is more and statement pieces rule, we chronicle four houses of jewellery, all from Jaipur, that have redefined the changing face of this sparkle saga. From a 280-year-old brand that furnished the whims of Rajputana royalty to a brand only 17 years old that’s already designing for the royal family of Abu Dhabi, these dream catchers bedeck Hollywood beauties and Bollywood stars alike. TRIBAL TURNS TABLES If you can still vividly recall the golden heave of Brad…

Imagine throwing away a fistful of rubies into the soil with gay abandon. More so, knowing that one of these could possibly be more expensive than a carat of diamond. Or, it may find its way into the atelier of a renowned jewellery house where it would be turned into a classic piece. None of these thoughts deterred me as I flung these glistening red and pink-coloured gemstones with a queenly disposition. Before you begin to imagine me as one who belongs to the billionaires club, let me reveal a little secret. I am at Gemfields’ Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) concession in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province and as a rule, you cannot pocket these rubies and walk away scot-free. Spread across 336 square kilometres, it is the world’s largest ruby…

When American singer-song writer Don Mclean crooned “Starry, starry night; Paint your palette blue and gray; Look out on a summer’s day; With eyes that know the darkness in my soul...,” a moonphase watch was probably not his inspiration. But it may just have been. One look at the exceptional Rendez-Vous Moon model from Jaeger-LeCoultre, bathed in white gold, diamonds and blue sapphires in a sparkling rendition of the night sky and you can understand the poetry behind the gemsetting. The technical mastery and creativity of the artisans results in a watch radiant with baguette-cut and brilliant stones; spanning almost half of the dial, the starry sky is depicted by 301 blue sapphires of various sizes in a snow-setting technique. The moon phase is the most feminine of all complications.…

What turns me on Intelligence When fashion gets on my nerves Yoga What keeps me going Trans-continental Travel My idea of relaxation Music on my Apple device  Astudious girl topped her BA Economics Honours from MCM College in Chandigarh with 100 per cent in Statistics in the year 2008 and won a scholarship to puruse MSc in Money & Banking from University of Exeter, UK. She came back in the year 2010 to join Reliance, launching and managing five stores with them in New Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Ludhiana. One day, two years back, when she was on a holiday in Capri, Italy, she realised at a roadside coffee shop that her job had become monotonous and didn’t offer any creative outlet whatsoever. “Going up the corporate ladder was not…